Invalid lifter



B. c. LEAVITT NVALID LIFTER Filed May 1930 5 Sheeps-Sheet 1 A iii s.

Sept. 20, 1932. c -1 v1 1,878,785

INVALID LIFTER Filed May 15, 1930 3 SheetsSheet 2 Inventor:

Byron (T L ear/ZZZ.

qwy/

A iffy P 20, 1932- B. c. LEAVlTT 1,878,785

INVALID LIFTER Filed May 15, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Z 720672102: Byron U. L eavz'tt.

A Ztjys.

Patented Sept. 20, 1932 s aA-re F'F i INVALID LIFTER Application filed tra 15,

Thisinvention relates to an invalid lifter which is adapted to support,.convey and in general a'fiord convenient mobility to the body of an invalid, whether weakened from sickness, paralyzed orotherwise more or less helpless. i i t This invention provides asupport for the invalid which'is so arranged in relation to suitable running gear that the invalid may be readily lifted from a bed or the like and transported to any desired location, for example being held in or over abath tub, the apparatus permitting the weight of the invalid readily to be supported when thus held u, in anoverhanging position in relation to a bed or bath tub. Thus the running gear is provided witha portionwhich may run under the bed or a bath tub, and the invalid supporting portion of the device is so arranged that the invalid may be swung about a substantiallyvertical support which is carried by the running gear.

The present invention provides particularly convenient and readily operable and controllable'means for lifting and lowering the invalid support or for lockingthe same at any desired height. The invalid support is so connected by a movable brace with-the main upright of the device that undesirable ued in a curved upper portion which isprovided with a plurality of pulleys, thesev pulleys being arranged. to permit the -ready movement of a cable over the same, the end of this cable being connected to the invalid support itself. The running gear may be {readily adjustable to permitthebase of the device to have a relatively great width,there- In general the objects of this invention are to provide a'simple and sturdy invalid lifter which is adapted to a wide variety of uses and conditions, which maypermit the convenient: lifting or movement of the invalid by one person, and which is adapted to sup port the invalid in a substantially sitting position,

,certain parts being broken away for clarity the member 2 somewhat nearer its rear end. 5

rollers 7 a'redisposed at theends of the memswaying or swinging of the invalid avoid- P ed. Preferably the main upright is contin- 8 are similarly connected to arms 10 that are swung about the bolt. so that the effective 1930. Serial No. 452,662. 7

although the invalid may be quite helpless.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the device,

of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invalid support proper showing therelationship of the parts whenthe invalid is being supported;

Fig. 3 is a sectionon line 83 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 4 is a broken elevational view of the means-forlifting or lowering the invalid or for holding him in desired elevation;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 4; ,5; and I Fig. 7 is asection indicated by line 77 of Fig. 5.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates the frame of the running? gear, which may be substantially crossshaped, being provided with a tubular longitudinal frame member 2 and with a transverse bracketslike frame portion 3 secured to and providing a cup-like support 5 for the main upright 6 adjoining the point of inter section of members 2 and 3. I Suitable swivel her 2 and the ends of the cross member 3, the roller at thefront of the member 2 being ar-' ranged to swivel about a substantially vertical pivot 9, and the roller at the rear of the member 2 having its swivel axis oiisetin relation to its axis of rotation to provide azcaster 'efiect. The rollers at the ends ofthe member" provided with for-ked ends 11 pivotally connected to ends of arm 3. Suitable king bolts 12 securethe arms 10 to the ends of the frame member 3, these king bolts being provided with nuts13 having outstanding handles 14 that permit the loosening and tightening of the king bolts. When the nut upon one of the king bolts is loosened, the arm 10 maybe width of the running gear may be varied; thus .asshown in Fig. 5 the arm 10 maybe swung from the full to the dotted line;posi-' tion' to provide a greater 'efi'ective width for the base or running gear of the invalid lifter. Obviously when the arm 10 is moved to the desired adjusted position the handle 14: is again actuated to tighten the retaining nut and to hold the arm in its new position. g

. The cup-like element 5 contains an inner' sleeve 5 which acts as a' spacer for antifriction bearings 16, which in turn support the upright 6, thus'the upright is swivelly mounted upon the anti-frictionbearings. A

suitable diagonal brace 20 extends upwardly from the rear of frame member 2 to a collar 21 secured to the intermediate partof the upright 6. Above this collar the upright s provided with a cup-like portion 21 whlch 15 adapted to telescope with the lower end of an upper section 6 of the upright, a 'retaining pin 23 extending through registering openings in the lower end of the member 6 and the cup-like extension 21 ofthe member 6' to hold these parts in theirnor'mall'y'assembled' position. It is thus evident that the uprightiis made in'two parts and may readily be disassembledfor more convenient shippage or storage." The upper' 'part of the upright portion 6" is provided'with a gradual curvature so thatits overhanging end 25 is dis.

posed substantially horizontally. A plurality of grooved rollers 29 are pivotally supported by brackets 30 secured to the curved part of the upright. A. cable 31, which may be connected to suitable control mechanism132 engages the grooves of these rollers, and extends downwardly at the end of the overhanging 'portioaasof the member 6 and has an eye 3.3 which receives a hook deforming a part of theinvalid support 35.

This invalid support '35'comprises a cross member 36 supported by theh 'ek '34 and 'is adapted to support: any suitable flexible or rigid device for holdingand supporting the invalid. Figs. 1 and 2 illustratethe preferred. form of such'a supporting device which comprises a canvas strip or sheet which is adapted to support the weight of the invalid and which is provided with U-sha-ped extensions or'fstraps 51, each of which are engagedbetween twouupwardly extending elements or hooks 52vat'the ends of the cross member36. In. many cases it i is desirable to support the shoulders of the invalid and accordinglyfor this purpose If provide a shoulder strap 55, which may be means for adjusting their eifectivelengths; b It is thus evident that this arrangement permits the main portion of theinvalids if weight to be supported by. the member 50,

conveniently formed of canvas and which is connected to 'the ends of the crossmember 36 by cables 56, which may have suitable while the upper partof the back or shoulders maybe supported by the strap 55, the cables 56 extending underthe arms of the invalid the position shown in Fig. 2.

and the partsthen occupying substantially upright 6.

In order to avoid undesirable swinging of the support 35 about the cable 33 a guide rod 60 is connected to the end-of the cross member 36 and to the .upright 6. For this purpose a substantially horizontal pivot pin 61 extends through a fork 62 at the upper end of the rod 60 and pivotally connects the same to the cross member 36, while the lower end of this rod has a forked end 6% that is connected by a horizontal pivot 65 with". an

ear 66 extending from a plate 67, Fig, 3. This plate is secured between the two seg-c mentally shaped blocks 68 which are slid- I ably mounted within'the tubular uprightv 6.

A vertical slot 69v is provided to permit the ready vertical movement of the ear 66. It 1 is thus evident that'the upright 6 may rotate about the bearing l6but that the cross member 36 of support 35 is always maintained in a substantially radial position in 'relatio'n to the swivel axis of the upright,ac cordingly undesirable twisting or swinging of the support 35 is prevented; furthermore the forked connections at the end of the brace 60jprevent swaying 'of member 65 and permits the satisfactory employment of a singlev cableto support the invalid.

One important aspect of the present invention comprises; the means 32 permitting the ready lifting and lowering of the support '35. For this-purpose a suitable housing orrcasing 70 is secured by bolts 71 to the This leasing carries a drum or Windlass 72 to which the end ofthe cable maybe wound. The ,windlass 72 is provided with a shaft73 supported by anti-friction bearings 74 in the casing 70. A gear 7 5 is also keyed to the shaft'73 and meshes with a pinion 76 upon a shaft 77 that is also supiii ported, by ball bearingsin the casing, and is provided with an extension 78 that'receives'an operating crank 79. A toothed locking wheel 80 is also secured to the shaft 77 and is adapted to engage the end of a locking plunger 81. This plunger isvertically movable-in a cylinder '82 and is provided w ith a head 83 thatis urged down- 31 isconnected andupon which 'thecable" surface 92 to engagethe teeth of the ratchet wheel when'the latter tends to move in the direction indicated by the curved arrow in Fig. 4, i. e. in response to a downward'pull 1ponthe depending end of cable 31.v T

the plunger 81' is effective in looking the support 35 against downward movement, except when it' is lifted against the action of the spring 84 by means of the han'dle 89. Obviously under these conditions the invalid can be lowered until the handle is released when the plunger 89 will instantly and automatically lock the ratchet wheel to prevent further downward movement of the support 35.

The plunger head 83 is provided with a beveled face 96 opposite the straight face 92 so that the plunger readily permits the movement of the ratchet wheel in a direction counter to that indicated by the curved arrow in Fig. 4. Accordingly the crank 79 may be operated to effect the lifting of the support without necessity for releasing the plunger, while movement of the support 35 downwardly due to the weight of the invalid may be efiected by releasing the plunger by means of the handle 89.

Under certain conditions it is desirable toprovide additional means to prevent tipping of the device under the weight of the invalid and accordingly .a foothold 100 is disposed diagonally between one portion of the frame member 8 and the rear of the machine, Fig. 5. Thus when the support 35 is swung to a position substantially such that the cross piece 36 is in the plane of the member 3 the operators foot may be placed upon the member 100 to prevent tipping of the machine. Such an arrangement is particularly desirable, for example, when the invalid is to be supported over a built-in bath tub, which prevents a portion of the frame, such as the forward part of the member 2, from being located under the bath tub and accordingly substantially underthe center of gravity of the weight supported by the upright 6.

It is evident that this apparatus permits convenient lifting and maneuvering of an invalid and that the lifting and lowering mechanism provides .an easily operable means whereby a person of ordinary strength may lift and lower a comparatively heavy invalid. This lifting and lowering means is arranged so that lowering of the invalid may be instantly stopped by the plunger 81, while the gearing and crank 79 in conjunction with the anti-friction bearings permit the easy movement of the support 35 in the opposite direction.

The curved shape of theupper portion of the upright in conjunction with the arrange ment of the grooved rollers prevents any liability of the cable binding and reduces frict1on losses. Swinging of the cross member 36 and support 35 about the cable is substantially prevented by the brace 60, while the entire support and upper portion of the upright may be swung about the anti-friction rollers 16, when desired. Obviously the ar rangement of the arms 10 permits the convene ient adjustment of the effective width ofthe device so that the running gear may ordinarily provide the maximum stability and yet be made to pass through a relatively narrow space such as a narrow door.

" I claim:

1. An invalid lifter and conveyor comprising a running gear, invalid supporting means, an upright swivelly connected to the running gear to swing about a substantially vertical tubular portion with a vertical slot, means slidable in said tubular portionand a brace connected to said slidable means and guided by the slot, said brace being connected to the supporting means to prevent swinging of the same about the depending cable portion.

2. An invalid lifter and conveyor comprising running gear including a frame, in-

valid-supporting means, an upright carried by the running gear and having an overhanging portion, a movable cable having an end portion depending from the upright and con nected to said supporting means, mechanism mounted on the upright and connected to the cable to vary the length of the depending cable end portion and the height of said supporting means, the upright being swivelly mounted upon an anti-friction bearing carried by the frame of the running gear so that the supporting means may be swung about a substantially vertical axis, the frame having portions. extending outwardly from said bearing, swinging arms pivotally mounted on the frame, rollers supported upon the outer ends of the arms, and means for fric-tionallylocking the arms in any one of a multiplicity of positions to permit variation in the effective Width of the running gear.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this twelfth day of May, 1980. V

' BYRON C. LEAVITT. 

